Vanguard Bears - Statement / Article

[minstral 5,375]

I would however point out that the vast majority of money made through religion has been done so indirectly. We've probably made more money as a direct result of computer game licensing than we have directly from religion.

Can not argue with that.

[downviewbear 148]

just seen this posted on facebook....

http://www.vanguardb...longest-journey

Before I start, I wish to make it clear that I'm no keyboard hero, nor am I a bigot, a terrorist sympathiser, a racist, a gangster, nor a thug. I have never been arrested for a football related crime and I respect all religions.

What I do not respect is terrorist groups who use religion in the interests of republicanism and who terrorise people of other religions and embark on campaigns of ethnic cleansing as has been seen and witnessed in Ireland over the last 100 years.

I was granted the privilege of joining Vanguard Bears a few years ago, and like many, I have I watched as the group has been branded bigots, thugs etc. by all and sundry, including my fellow Rangers supporters. I take the accusations of bigotry personally because I have never been, nor ever will be a bigot. Vanguard Bears aren't bigots. They are a Rangers supporters group who are dedicated to preserving the protestant religion, our way of life, our traditions and the Union which makes the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. There is no crime in that, and I would happily challenge anyone in a court of law in that respect.

Over the last 18 months I have been on a journey, a new journey, the longest journey. I have seen my beloved club dragged into the gutter and beaten black and blue by the true bigots in Scotland, those clubs and their office bearers who hate Rangers and all they stand for. Almost terminally harmed by Craig Whyte, our club survived only because of the willingness of a blunt speaking Yorkshireman, Charles Green, to buy the club, and the overwhelming support shown to him by the greatest supporters in world football. Without the support, Mr. Greens plans would have floundered upon the rocks, so carefully designed to cripple us by our enemies: the true enemies of fair play and the future of football in Scotland, the SFA, the SPL, and Celtic Football Club.

Survive we did, and Mr. Green ensured that not only did our club survive, our name and our history also survived. Our enemies have been incandescent with rage that we survived with our identity intact, particularly because we stand alone as one of the pillars of the Union of the United Kingdom in Scotland, at a time when the republicans, led by Alex Salmond, would like nothing more than to lead us on a journey into financial oblivion.

I have seen the media in Scotland deride us, our club, and its history on an almost daily basis. I have seen the zombie banners, the references to Sevco, to Oldco and Newco, and all of the other nasty bigoted, hatred-driven comments made about my club over the last 18 months. I have watched as other Rangers groups like The Rangers Standard, the Rangers Supporters Trust, Follow Follow etc. have stood by and done next to nothing to address these attacks on our club and its history. I have witnessed post after post, mentioning Vanguard Bears, deleted by moderators on other Rangers supporters forums and groups simply because they fear the truth.

And what is the truth?

The truth is: like him or not, Charles Green had the strength to face our enemies head on. They feared him, and because of that, they used their influence within the club and the game in Scotland to ensure he was forced out. A weakened Rangers poses no threat to Celtic and their quest to become the biggest club in Scotland. Only a few days ago an article was printed which was portrayed to be a blue print for the future of our club under Charles Green. This blue print wasn't a work of genius. It merely highlighted the problems and failures which we as a support have borne witness to over the course of the last season. If you read it, it highlights the problems the game in Scotland faces and identifies ways in which those same problems can be addressed. Now I don't know for sure whether the article is genuine or not, but I do know for sure that it made a lot of sense.

The idea of a breakaway SPL2 isn't new. It has been rumoured for months, years even. It has once again reared its ugly head as a result of the failure of desperate SPL clubs to bully through their flawed attempts at league re-structuring in Scotland. Once again SFL chief David Longmuir has emerged as the solitary voice of reason within the senior game in Scotland, as he issued a statement last night which underlined exactly why a unified body, encompassing all leagues in the country should be led by either him, or someone who shares his values of fair play and sporting integrity.

Not one member of the SPL or the SFA fits that criteria.

I have watched as our inexperienced manager has blundered from one mistake to another, and it pains me to say it but; Ally McCoist isn't the way forward. Being a cheeky chappy, being media friendly and trying to be everyone's best friend isn't enough to make anyone a football manager. Press liaison, yes. Football manager, no! Ally McCoist is a Rangers legend. His goals have given us all everlasting memories and his, "I don't do walking away" speech is now the stuff of legend, but we cannot allow ourselves to be blinkered by his fine words. Our club is still in crisis, our enemies are still strong and they smell the opportunity to strike another blow to our club. We have a fractured support, split between those who believe some kind of hitherto unknown group will come and take control of our club and lead us into a bright new dawn with a team of has-beens and players with little or no re-sale value, and those who wish our club to adopt a new adventurous way of playing the game, a pressure game, with players playing at a high tempo, skillful and adventurous.

I know which I would choose.

My club has managed to gain promotion from the SFL league 3 into the SFL league 2 although it hardly merits great adulation.

I have watched as Vanguard Bears have addressed every one of the points I have raised in this article. This group has remained loyal to our values. Vanguard Bears have been at the forefront of everything when it has come to defending our club and its traditions over the last 18 months. Our members have put the club before themselves, they have faced a lot of criticism and they have had to deal with countless unfounded accusations made against our group by those who would seek to profit from our clubs instability. If I could highlight just one thing which stands out above any other, and one which is deserving of the thanks and appreciation of every single true Rangers supporter, it is that of a Vanguard Bear who uses the name Thennowforever.

This Vanguard Bear has displayed exactly the values which anyone would expect of a member of our group. He went to the media and he took with him facts which challenged the reporting of our club over a lengthy and troubled period in our history. He did not lie down when faced with adversity, nor did he give up when it would have been the easy option. Instead, he kept at them armed with facts, and he has managed to get an admission from the BBC, that they have not reported events regarding our club accurately. They will be issuing an apology, an apology which vindicates his efforts to bring inaccurate reporting of our club to the fore, and which highlights the levels of hatred, shown by BBC employees in Scotland, against our club.

By his actions, it makes me proud to be a Vanguard Bear, and so proud to have him as a fellow member. Many who profess to be true Rangers supporters would be wise to read this and realise that being a true Rangers supporter takes a lot more than sitting about doing nothing except appeasing an enemy which seeks to destroy us.

The longest journey starts with just one step. I am proud to have Vanguard Bears beside me as I walk every step of the way!

well said WATP

[JCDBigBear 10,831]

I am complaint A and also "thennowforever" although I lost the last point! I am more that happy that the BBC trust accepted ""newco", "new Club" etc." as all I ever wonted was the truth! I am not pressing the second point as it has been a year since I started this and they will never except it ! I know and you know they are! but time for me to move on to the next fight!!!

Cheers

This thread seems to have lost direction.

I know what you mean about the time spent. The BBC do not make it particularly simple, do they. I've written and e-mailed to them on numerous occasions and although they have acknowledged that RFC was and still is, RFC. As for the anti-Rangers institutional bias, I'm going to persevere a bit longer if I can. It's wearying at times but damn it, they don't even give reasons for some points raised against them.

[tannerall 25,935]

Our club made a lot of money through religion.

So why have Ranger been allowed to exploit us Protestants for so long ?

About bloody time someone put a stop to it I say.

[downviewbear 148]

Take football away from Ramgers and you would have fk all - everyone is free to follow their own religion, or non-religion that they wish; have what eve political leanings they wish but Rangers do not exist because of some religious, quasi political support. If there was none of the political or religious shite attached to our club we would still fill Ibrox - if we took away the football You would be lucky to have enough turn up at ibrox to fit in a transit wan.

basically an article full of pish - and Green did not save us out of some religious or political fight but because it was a cash making opportunity - he did not take up the fight because he found done religion or suddenly wanted to support unionism but because it would help the club survive and make him money - and the 22 million he raised was not in support if any political or religious cause but because our wide spread support offers a chance to provide a financial return!

basically the whole article if full of push and vinegar and the sort of shite that would drag us down!

Take football away from any football team and you have fuck all.Dickhead.

[minstral 5,375]

So why have Ranger been allowed to exploit us Protestants for so long ?

About bloody time someone put a stop to it I say.

Made me laugh.

[ZZed 4,510]

Exactly, and you have to bear in mind where you want to be next, which is what I suspect most of this thread is about. Sticking 100% with tradition or re-focusing.

The problem for some is it is not just a tradition, but it is a living breathing moral code and it will continue to move things forward. A lot of Rangers fans roughly follow the Protestant work ethic and code of how to live your life, without being church goers or believing in God; but the ethic is still there- work hard, be smart, be honest, you word should count for something, fight your corner, face your enemy down and through this you earn the trust of others. This code has shaped Rangers and we don't like it when we see it being abused.

[minstral 5,375]

The problem for some is it is not just a tradition, but it is a living breathing moral code and it will continue to move things forward. A lot of Rangers fans roughly follow the Protestant work ethic and code of how to live your life, without being church goers or believing in God; but the ethic is still there- work hard, be smart, be honest, you word should count for something, fight your corner, face your enemy down and through this you earn the trust of others. This code has shaped Rangers and we don't like it when we see it being abused.

Another good post.

[eejay the dj 31,964]

Made a fair bit from Catholics too.

From Rangers medias number one troll I wouldn't have expected anything less :-)

[TheBluebells 6,898]

Those who want to get rid of the protestant fan base may have a very empty staduim to go to, if they did. But the protestant family ties have handed down the love of Ranger through the generations and will continue to do so. The wishful thinking will not alter reality.

Don't see anyone wanting rid of it who supports Rangers, i just think there's a fair few who don't care for religion mixed with football that's all.

[The Dude 20,026]

From Rangers medias number one troll I wouldn't have expected anything less :-)

Thanks, although I've barely posted in weeks and you only joined on April 15th so it leaves me wondering who you were and why you aren't them now.

[gogzy 31,195]

Thanks, although I've barely posted in weeks and you only joined on April 15th so it leaves me wondering who you were and why you aren't them now.

Your powers of deduction astound me holmes

[72barca 1,788]

it would help if you could read properly before commenting - no where did I compare being Protestant with being terrorist - however so we are clear I did say religion and politics have got fuck all to do with football!

Maybe, but we're talking about what Rangers want in terms of the religious "tradition". They do not want this. It's a proven fact so we can only come to the conclusion that the it's the VB's who don't want to move on from a personal/bigoted perspective. (for reasons not connected to football)

They are people with their own agenda masquerading as protectors of the club and many can see right through them.

I'll tell you what bud, if you can get your religious and political friends in the east end of Glasgow, in Dundee, in Aberdeen, in Edinburgh, in Donegal and wherever else they come from to back the fuck out of Rangers' affairs I shall be perfectly happy to keep mine away from football. I was most disturbed recently when I read about ' a pair of amateur historians behind Glasgow's The Founders Trail tour ' being refused a place at this year's Gibson Street Gala because they represented a 'bigotted organisation' meaning Rangers. I was also disturbed by a political decision that affected The Arthur Numan Loyal RSC based in Milngavie, when they were contacted by East Dunbartonshire Council to inform them that the event could no longer take place at Milngavie Town Hall because this regular, successful and friendly event was all of a sudden deemed as “problematic” by East Dunbartonshire Council. I'm pretty sure that neither of these events were opposed by a protestant with loyalist tendencies, or a muslim or an atheist etc. I was,however, greatly encouraged when a certain CEO on the first day of the season at Brechin informed the Scottish football world that the actions taken over the summer last year were taken by a bigotted cabal. I have no idea how many religious or non-religious individuals make up the huge Rangers' family, whether they have a political bias or not. I do know that as a member of a family I have to listen to the opinions of my brothers and sisters if I want them to listen to mine. So here's my opinion on your opinion - your faux-indignant, politically correct opinion is irrelevant, sunshine - it's time for the opinions of my brothers and sisters to be heard first.

WATP.

[jack1690 793]

The club wants to move on from the religious aspect altogether.

Why do our club directors Toast our Queen from The Loving Cup and sing the National Anthem every New Year?

[Johnny Hubbard 280]

Why do our club directors Toast our Queen from The Loving Cup and sing the National Anthem every New Year?

It was a request from Stoke when they gave us the cup

[jack1690 793]

It was a request from Stoke when they gave us the cup

Why are we one of the very few who have kept this tradition up?

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

Our club made a lot of money through religion.

no one denies that but religion has had it's day - it ain't religion that brings 50000 to a game!

[bilko89 507]

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

Ooooooo you mentioned Al Qaeda, well I think thats who you were talking about. You were the one that used them in comparison to some of our supporters religious and political beliefs, you were the one that said you'd tell them where to go with your exceptional command of the English language. So you with your self opinionated drivel should look back in our history and give a little respect. That is if you can get off your moral high horse.

love the irony in your lecture! perfectly aware of our history thanks!

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

Take football away from any football team and you have fuck all.Dickhead.

my point exactly - it's about the football - oh and name calling is always good to reinforce an opinion !

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

I'll tell you what bud, if you can get your religious and political friends in the east end of Glasgow, in Dundee, in Aberdeen, in Edinburgh, in Donegal and wherever else they come from to back the fuck out of Rangers' affairs I shall be perfectly happy to keep mine away from football. I was most disturbed recently when I read about ' a pair of amateur historians behind Glasgow's The Founders Trail tour ' being refused a place at this year's Gibson Street Gala because they represented a 'bigotted organisation' meaning Rangers. I was also disturbed by a political decision that affected The Arthur Numan Loyal RSC based in Milngavie, when they were contacted by East Dunbartonshire Council to inform them that the event could no longer take place at Milngavie Town Hall because this regular, successful and friendly event was all of a sudden deemed as “problematic” by East Dunbartonshire Council. I'm pretty sure that neither of these events were opposed by a protestant with loyalist tendencies, or a muslim or an atheist etc. I was,however, greatly encouraged when a certain CEO on the first day of the season at Brechin informed the Scottish football world that the actions taken over the summer last year were taken by a bigotted cabal. I have no idea how many religious or non-religious individuals make up the huge Rangers' family, whether they have a political bias or not. I do know that as a member of a family I have to listen to the opinions of my brothers and sisters if I want them to listen to mine. So here's my opinion on your opinion - your faux-indignant, politically correct opinion is irrelevant, sunshine - it's time for the opinions of my brothers and sisters to be heard first.

WATP.

.. but you just lectured us on why Weiss listen to the opinions of our brothers and sisters in the rangers family and then tell us our opinions are' irrelevant' thanks for listening - and if Carlsberg did hypocrisy your post above would be a fine example !

[Brock 42]

Vanguard Bears Blue Order Bears ma da's bigger than your da...support the club and team instead of forming stupid wee glee club cliques and telling everyone how uber you are

Did you not get to join? lol

[Non_Sucumbi 876]

Vanguard Bears Blue Order Bears ma da's bigger than your da...support the club and team instead of forming stupid wee glee club cliques and telling everyone how uber you are

You appear great at telling people what not to do. Please suggest an alternative. Dignified silence??

VB at least are prepared to take the fight to the enemy not run waddle to the media with their impotent quotes.

[Non_Sucumbi 876]

Thanks, although I've barely posted in weeks and you only joined on April 15th so it leaves me wondering who you were and why you aren't them now.

Why even without the question mark does that seem rhetorical??

[SectionRedHMS 190]

Thank you for your significant contribution to the debate.

No problem.